“I absolutely reject that notion,” Jindal, who was a surrogate for Romney’s campaign, said at the Republican Governors Association conference in Las Vegas. “I think that's absolutely wrong.”- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

“I don't think that represents where we are as a party and where we're going as a party,” he continued. “That has got to be one of the most fundamental takeaways from this election.”

Romney made the comments on a call with top donors Wednesday afternoon, various news outlets have reported. The former Massachusetts governor also made similar arguments on a separate call earlier in the morning, CNN confirmed.

"What the president, president's campaign did was focus on certain members of his base coalition, give them extraordinary financial gifts from the government, and then work very aggressively to turn them out to vote," Romney said in the afternoon call, according to audio aired on ABC News.

Romney, who lost to Obama by 126 electoral votes, said the president courted voters by offering policies - some of them this election year - that appealed to key constituencies.

"With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest, was a big gift," Romney said, according to The New York Times.

"Free contraceptives were very big with young college-aged women," he continued. "And then, finally, Obamacare also made a difference for them, because as you know, anybody now 26 years of age and younger was now going to be part of their parents' plan, and that was a big gift to young people. They turned out in large numbers, a larger share in this election even than in 2008."

The president's health care reform plan, he added, also brought out support from African Americans and Hispanic voters.

"You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you're now going to get free health care, particularly if you don't have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity, I mean, this is huge," he said. "Likewise with Hispanic voters, free health care was a big plus. But in addition with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group."

But Jindal, when asked about Romney’s remarks, said in order for the GOP to be “competitive,” it has to “go after 100 percent of the votes, not 53 percent. We need to go after every single vote.”

Jindal’s criticism seemed to take latent swipes at Romney’s “47%” comments that were secretly recorded earlier this year. At a May fund-raiser, Romney argued that nearly half of Americans were “victims” who were “dependent” on the government, referring to the number of people who aren't required to pay federal income taxes. Those voters, he argued, sided with Obama.

Following up on Jindal's remarks, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker–who was sitting on a panel with Jindal when the Louisiana governor fired off–said the GOP isn't "just for people who are currently not dependent on the government."

"It's for all Americans," he continued, adding that the Republican Party is the party "that helps people find a pathway to live the American Dream."

A spokesperson for Romney did not return a request for comment about the call.

Romney, who has stayed away from the public spotlight since losing the election last week, had another call Wednesday morning with a couple dozen people who were part of the financial leadership of his campaign, but he did not make the same “gifts” comment.

The former nominee did say on that call that he really respected how the Obama administration was able to “craft” specific policies that ended up attracting the support of key demographic groups. He mentioned contraceptive coverage, as well as student loan policies that were important for young adults, according to one participant on the call.

He said he was sorry and disappointed that he lost but added his team had put everything it could into the election.

“We didn’t leave anything on the field,” one donor on the call told CNN.

He talked about how turnout was a lot lower this year, mentioning how the president got fewer votes than he did four years ago and that he got less than the 2008 Republican nominee, John McCain, received.

Romney told the donors he wanted to stay involved in public policy in some form, but he did not provide any details.

Romney's remarks come after top Republicans in recent days have pushed for a bigger tent party, saying the GOP learned this election that it has work to do in terms of demographic changes.

"We've got to be a lot more inclusive and open and energetic and wanting people to join our team by expressing why these conservative values are good for people of all races, creeds, colors, and national origin," Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, previously a top surrogate for Romney, said last week on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront."

"We've just got to do a better job with that,” said McDonnell.

McDonnell expanded his remarks Wednesday and joined in on the discussion with Jindal and Walker at the conference. He argued the class of Republican governors is more diverse than the group of Democratic governors.

"They have, I think, two women and minorities. We have seven. We're not keeping score, but the point is," he said, pausing as some in the audience began to laugh. "Well, sometimes. We are keeping score. 30-19, that's the score that matters."

McDonnell is currently the outgoing chairman of the RGA, while Jindal will chair the group in 2013.

In the presidential race, Obama won 93% of the African-American vote, 71% of the Latino vote and 60% of those between the ages of 18 and 29. Romney, meanwhile, took 59% of the white voting bloc, according to CNN exit polls.

On the Democratic side, women and minorities made historic gains this election. For the first time, women and minorities will outnumber male Democrats in the House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate will have a record number of women – 20 - when the 113th Congress convenes in January.

Romney, on the 20-minute call, said he was "disappointed" with the final election tally and "hadn't anticipated it." Looking ahead, Romney said the party is "still so troubled by the past (that) it's hard to put together our plans for the future," according to The Los Angeles Times, which also appeared to be on the call.

Speaking to the donors, Romney praised them for their success in fundraising and suggested they help with "perhaps the selection of a future nominee - which, by the way, will not be me."

The campaign's finance chairman, Spencer Zwick, said on the call that Romney's team had raised more than $900 million; Romney added he had not expected to take in more than $500 million, according to The Los Angeles Times.

In the morning after the comments, Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who played the role of Rep. Paul Ryan in debate prep for Vice President Joe Biden, characterized Romney's words as "way off base."

"To go after the president's vote on the basis of we protected more young people from catastrophic health care costs, that we wanted to make sure people have access to birth control and those kind of things, I think is going to strike the American people as kind of very off-kilter," Van Hollen said on CNN's "Starting Point."

"I don't think that represents where we are as a party" Dorry Bobby Jindhal, that is exactly where your party is.

The party of bat shiet crazy people based not in fact but is fantasy.

November 15, 2012 02:42 am at 2:42 am |

Art

Does Mitt not get it?

November 15, 2012 02:42 am at 2:42 am |

ResIpsaLoquitur

Damn Right Willard! President Obama gave us all the gift of not having you in the White House for four years.
I understand that you will back track on this comment in a few days Mittens.

November 15, 2012 02:43 am at 2:43 am |

GO_GOP

Well said. I agree with him completely. That and the fact that we have moved so far away from our Lord in heaven has resulted in this mess.

November 15, 2012 02:43 am at 2:43 am |

Done with politics

Both are guilty for the "gifts" and it isn't like Romney didn't try to appeal to voters either. He flip-flopped more than a fish out of water (I encourage everyone to watch the Romney vs. Romney video on youtube), at least Obama was consistent

November 15, 2012 02:44 am at 2:44 am |

Kim Crash Harrison

How much more do the people need to see the true colors of this man and his pettiness. And to think he duped so many into almost electing him as President Have the voters of this country really become so naive & stupid to believe the dung coming from some republicans? Kudos for Jindal. Republicans better wise up quickly and clean their own house. They have associates in their party that are taking them down..And America doesn't want some elitist CEO corporate running things. Or far right conservatives with their 16th Century ideals and morals

November 15, 2012 02:45 am at 2:45 am |

tigger finger

sounds like sour grapes. Jindal hears them too.

November 15, 2012 02:46 am at 2:46 am |

Brian Smith

oh really – so you're saying Obama bribed voters to vote for him now? Much like you bribed voters with a promised tax cut to the richest people of America if they would vote for you? STFU Romney.

November 15, 2012 02:46 am at 2:46 am |

b

Romney is a joke. He lost. Own up to it. Or be the worst presidential since mcgovern...which he is

November 15, 2012 02:48 am at 2:48 am |

Matt

Romney was weak and he lost on his own watch... The fact that he is blaming his opponent is sick and without class. He failed this country as a business man, he failed as a governor, and he failed as a presidential candidate..... And after the fact he comes out crying and blaming. Please just go away Mitt. You have done nothing good, you have never explained yourself, you have failed over and over. You brought nothing to the table while your wife cried. God help us if one of your awful son's run. But I guess we have established generations of Romney failure at this point. Go be rich and ignore the real issues, leave us alone.

November 15, 2012 02:49 am at 2:49 am |

JR

Romney is still clueless – you lost because America has changed; furthermore, the World has changed. This is no longer 1950. It is 2012 accept it.

November 15, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

j0eschm0e

Jindal, should shut up, because Romney is absolutely right. I as tax payer am greatly appalled by obama giving free tuition. what about the rest of us that have to work our butts off and are under major debt from student loans. obama you should be impeeched immediately!! obama is giving away money like its free, and we the tax payers have to pay for it. we are drowning in debt and he is having a free for all spending spree. yet the GOP is considered evil if they block any spending. NOT, the GOP are doing thier job trying to keep the dems in check with the frivoulous spending of the taxpayers DEBT !!! to you that voted for obama. when the economy crashes, we will say we told you so. and you cannot blame that on the GOP.

November 15, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

brdrk

No wonder he lost!!

November 15, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

Sam

Loser, whiner blaiming everyone and everything except his clueless campaign and his drubbed party which got a shallacking at the polls, for his loss. Romney and the GOP should realize people voted really for Obama, not necessarily against Romney.

2016 doesn't seem so bright for the GOP either with their call to return to the tea-party's extreme conservative roots . This means excluding everyone else to accomodate their own extreme ideological dogma and they are soon on their way to history books, or maybe not even there (definitely not Hispanic version of the history books, they won't even find a mention there).

November 15, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

JR

Romney is still clueless – you lost because America has changed; furthermore, the World has changed. This is no longer 1950. It is 2012 – accept it

November 15, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

Lindy

Well even though Romney is right, he shouldn't have said it. Most everyone is looking for something free no matter how it drags the country down but as long as those people are in the majority there is no hope.

Sheesh...Sore Loser Much? Quit grandstanding and write a freaking book like everyone else does after an event like this. It makes you look so very undignified to toss barbs like this after losing. Even your running mate said Obama won "Fair and Square". Confirms that we got the best man we could in for the next four years. (Even if it wasn't my first choice)

November 15, 2012 02:54 am at 2:54 am |

snowdogg

Mitt, once again, shows hes has no class and needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut.

November 15, 2012 02:54 am at 2:54 am |

snowdogg

Mitt, once again, shows he has no class and needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut.

November 15, 2012 02:54 am at 2:54 am |

Wasilla Resident

Pack it in Willard, you are obviously not in touch with the majority of middle America.

November 15, 2012 02:56 am at 2:56 am |

spent

With his social welfare programs that have been given away by his administration, and the special interest groups he supports, of course he bought votes. What else could one expect from this guy. Liberals love give away programs for it keeps them poor and under control of the government. Very typical of socialist countries. Socialist countries keep the incentive down and big government large for this is one of the ways can control the masses.